The Science of Cultivation

Chapter 5: Intruder

“So you two are the kids with the Tranquil Harmony physique! Good, good, good! You both will serve as excellent cultivation cauldrons for me!” The man’s voice somehow echoed throughout the dining hall where the Zi family was. His voice drew all their attention upward, past the roof that had been obliterated.

Zi Zun, the master of the house and someone who was at the peak of the Energy Gathering realm, narrowed his eyes at the small dot hovering high above them.

“We’re under attack! Everyone gather around!”

“Stop running around aimlessly! Where’s the enemy?”

Voices could be heard all over the manor as the guard scrambled around in

Zi Zun was unprovoked, pausing his ineffective attacks. He scanned the area below and made eye contact with his son. They exchanged meaningful glances that needed no words, prompting Zi Xi to take action. He turned around and grasped both his sister’s and his friend’s wrists before dragging them with all his might toward the exit.

As he ran ahead, he refused to turn around or even open his eyes. He ran with tightly shut eyes that had two thin streams running down his cheeks.

Not wanting to be dragged around, Li Lang was forced to keep up with his childhood friend, but he never took his eyes off the battle taking place behind them in the skies.

Smoke filled the area and obscured his vision, but the bright flashes of light occasionally pushed the smoke away.

“Brother…Is father going to be—”

“Shut up and focus on moving your legs!”

Zi Xiao Mei sniffled her cry and obediently listened to her brother.

Just as the trio made it to the gates of their manor, a blurry figure came crashing down from above directly into the gates. The wooden gate easily splintered and a large dust cloud was kicked up in the aftermath.

Zi Xi continued undaunted and ran straight through the dust. It was only when he got closer to the crash site that he stilled for a brief moment before running toward the man lying on the ground.

“Father!” Zi Xi cried, followed by Zi Xiao Mei, after a short delay.

“Father!”

The siblings came rushing to Zi Zun’s side and inspected his condition. His limbs were mangled and bent in unnatural directions, but the man himself was still conscious, albeit struggling to keep his eyes open.

“...Run…Go to…Fok Tong Town…and find Ou…yang Xi.”

“No Father! You come with us too!” Zi Xiao Mei buried face in her father’s chest and cried.

“How touching! Don’t worry about me, kid. I’ll let them have their moment first before I finish off their father right before their eyes!” The cultivator with messy hair declared as he smiled sardonically at Li Lang.

Li Lang had kept his eyes on the man the entire time and had watched him slowly approach. Various questions welled up in his mind now that he had come face to face with a cultivation expert, but he also knew he was in mortal danger.

The academic in him urged him to call security, but he didn’t have that luxury. He could only stand there and wait.

“What? Why are you all so quiet all of a sudden? Are you done with your goodbyes?”

Having noticed the man, the siblings were now staring daggers at the powerful cultivator. Streams of tears came gushing out of their eyes until the tears turned red.

“Blood tears? Haha, wonderful! They’re beautiful indeed. If you guys are done with your goodbyes, then let us be off!”

The man had a crazed look in his eyes as he approached the collapsed Zi Zun. He smiled as he readied a palm to unleash a final blow.

“No!”

The man acted as if he didn’t hear anything and smashed his palm down without hesitation. A powerful pressure descended and a cry of pain echoed throughout the area.

The dust was kicked up from the powerful strike, making the three children shield their eyes. When it settled, they stared down at the figure on the ground. However, there were two of them, one being Zi Zun, and the other being the attacker who was lying in a pool of his own blood.

Yet what shocked them the most was the middle-aged man standing right beside them in pristine clothing. His black hair was tainted with numerous strands of white hair, and he held a fan in one hand while his other hand stroked his goatee.

He proceeded to kneel down beside Zi Zun and placed two fingers on his neck.

After a few seconds, he got up and turned to the two siblings with a serious look in his eyes.